Shiro no Shinigami
by Quin Kusanagi
Summary: This story may contain similar things but it is completely different. However, I would still be happy if any of you were to enjoy it. Happy reading and please comment on anything that I can improve on.I do not know what I can put as summary for this story so I guess it's up to your imaginations from reading this prologue.
1. Prologue -Dreams of Beginning-

**Prologue**

***Crackle Crackle***

_Huh? Where am I?_

I stood alone, facing the blazing house, in the middle of nowhere.

Unknown as to how I got here, I could only wonder to myself.

***Crakle Crackle***

…_._

All of a sudden, a slight chill crept up on me and I could sense another presence behind me.

There was no hostile intent but I could not be too sure.

Since I had no weapons on me, I silently readied myself just in case the mysterious presence initiates an attack.

"Quin…"

But what came next was totally unexpected.

With a voice that sounded more like a whisper, the mysterious presence called out to me in an angel-like voice.

"It has been far too long…"

The moment those words were spoken, I felt someone softly embracing me from the back.

In desperation, I quickly turned around only to find that nobody was there.

It was as if the presence that was behind me had disappeared into thin air, leaving no trace of it ever being there.

Once again, I stood alone, staring at the full moon in the dark and lonely night with only the soft crackling of the burning house to accompany me.

"Quin… Quin..!"

Another voice started calling out to me.

"Quin... Wake up already, you idiotic sloth!"

Jolted up by the shouting, I opened my eyes to see a familiar face hovering over me.

Wearing full knight armor with a dangerous looking spear strapped to her back, she stared angrily at me with her glowing orange eyes while her short and curly pink hair was already flaring up.

"I SAID WAKE UP!"

Shouting in a rather unfeminine voice, she clenched her right gauntlet arm and pounded my stomach.

"I'm awake! I'm aw-ackkk!"

She didn't even give me time to protest as she mercilessly attacked me.

Clenching her left gauntlet arm, she struck again.

This time, I quickly rolled out of my bed to dodge it and got into a defensive stance.

Still wincing in pain from the first blow, I said, "That hurts, Rose! What would you do if I actually died from that?!"

"It's your fault for not waking up no matter how many times I tried to call you!" Rose replied unhappily while pouting." Don't tell me you forgot about what's happening today!"

"Of course not! As you can see, I'm wide awake now. So can you please get out so that I may change my clothes in private?"

Rose glared at me for one last time before letting out a huge sigh.

"Fine… Be quick."

"Much appreciated."

After being fully assured that Rose had completely left my room, I loosened my guard and pondered about the dream I had.

"No point thinking about it now," I shrugged while taking out the outfit that I had specially prepared for the eventful day ahead.


	2. Chapter 1 -Competition-

**Chapter One **

**Part One**

"Come on! We're going to be late!"

"How the hell can you run so fast with all that armor on?!"

I cursed the scorching hot sun as I tried to catch up with Rose. Stunned by how far ahead Rose had already ran in her full suit of armor, I steadily rose my speed to keep up with her. Before I knew it, we had already arrived at the entrance of a humongous building - our destination.

Both Rose and I stood rooted for a few seconds, staring in awe at the magnificent light blue and white building. Two towering statues resembling knights stood on either side of the entrance and above the entrance sat a sign that read SORA.

"I'm getting nervous..." Rose said uncomfortably. Sweat drops have also started forming on her forehead.

"Same here... but right now it's a do or die!"

"You're right Quin. Let's go in."

Upon entering, we were overwhelmed by the number of participants. Perhaps it was to be expected from one of the top guilds, SORA.

While I was trying to find a place to rest, a sudden slam to my back made me jump in surprise. I looked back angrily to see a blue haired boy grinning from ear to ear.

"I didn't know you had grown weak in my absence."

"I was tired from running…"

"Oh really?"

"Ah! Aoshi! I didn't know you were participating." Rose shouted when she spotted the blue hair boy.

Aoshi smiled mischievously before replying, "Yes, I have also brought someone with me. Alice, no need to be shy."

A petite girl that looked no older than 14 years of age appeared from behind Aoshi, shyly hiding behind a teddy bear she had brought with her.

"G-good morning... I-it's nice to see the both of you again... "the petite girl mumbled as she used her teddy bear to hide her face.

"It has been a long time Alice. I'm glad to see that you and your brother are doing well." Rose said with a heartwarming smile

"Now that introductions are over, there should be an announcement right about now..."

Just as Aoshi mentioned it, the large door that leads to the inner sections of the guild burst opened and a girl with blonde and curly hair appeared at the center of the door. She wore a red cape with an emblem depicting what looks to be an angel and an outfit similar to a pirate's.

"Everyone! Welcome to SORA!" she shouted as she stretched her hands out. "My name is Lily, a member of SORA. I am tasked to lead all of you to the guild's gallery for the competition. Now, if you may, please follow me."

The guild member called Lily then walked through the gates as the other participants followed. Rose nudged my arm and looked at me with the "There's no time to rest. Let's go!" look.

"At least let me rest a little..." I grumbled as I followed her.

While we were following the guild member, we had to pass through the guild's garden to reach our destination.

Everyone was amazed by the number of rare plants found in it.

Needless to say, I was also attracted to it.

When I was admiring the exotic plants in the garden, something caught my attention.

At a corner of the garden, a petite girl was sitting on a rock and staring into the open sky.

That girl had long silky hair that was brilliantly covered with silver which stretched all the way to her waist. She wore a white cloak with an emblem which was similar to what the guild member, Lily had, that was beautifully embroidered to the back.

And as she stared into the clear blue skies, that girl hummed a soft melody.

I was entirely captivated by her the moment I saw her.

Without realizing it, I was already walking towards her.

However, before I could even catch a clear glimpse of her face, she disappeared in a blink of an eye.

"Hey! Quin! What are you doing?!"

Rose suddenly called out to me from behind, bringing me back to reality.

"Huh? Oh! Nothing!" I shouted as I frantically ran back to the group of participants.

**-End of part 1-**

**Chapter 1 **

**Part 2**

"There will be an announcement right before we commence the competition in a few minutes so please prepare whatever is necessary before that."

Lily announced as we entered the guild's gallery before leaving us to prepare ourselves.

"Fuuu... This competition is getting more and more intense..." Rose uttered.

"Yeah... "

"Come on guys! If we don't remain confident, how are we supposed to survive this competition? Anyway, we better check that we have everything we need. "

After Aoshi's lecture, I grumbled as I took out my weapon to check it's edge.

Cerberus' Fang I was given this weapon by my guardians who were once members of a famous guild.

"I will win this competition..." I whispered to myself as I slowly examined the weapon.

Once I finished my preparations, I looked up to see my friends all fired up and raring to go into the battlefield.

"Once we go into the battlefield, we'll fight our way through everyone!"

"Yeah!"

The four of us shouted in unison as we awaited our first real combat experience.

Without warning, a voice reverberated throughout the entire room, causing it to shake for awhile.

"I welcome all of you to SORA!" the voice announced. "I shall now give a brief description of this competition for those that has yet to read the information brochures. Usually, we would settle for something simple but since we have a huge amount of participants this year, we decided on a competition of a larger scale. All of you will be teleported to a barren land as your battlefield and in two different locations. I, as the guild master, will handpick those who I deem worthy to join the guild. All of you can fight without restraints as once you rendered unable to battle, you will immediately be teleported back out and healed by our mages. Also, the Shinigami of SORA will be present in the battlefield for those looking for a challenge! I wish all of you the best. Good luck!"

Right after the announcement, multiple worried voices could be heard throughout the entire room.

_The Shinigami?_

_The one who could kill over a hundred people with just a swing of his weapon..?_

_You have got to be kidding me. Why is a monster like him here!?_

Every single participant became nervous once they heard that title. I was puzzled by all their reactions as I had never heard of the Shinigami before.

"Is that person really that strong?"

I turned around to ask Rose who appeared to be as nervous as the other participants. Once Rose heard my question, she stared at me with disbelief.

"Do you seriously not know who the Shinigami is?"

I nodded and stared at her confused.

Rose heaved out a huge sigh before calming down and explaining.

"The Shinigami… is renowned as the most ruthless person in SORA. I heard that those who face him in battle never came back alive. There were also rumors of how he enjoyed torturing every single one of his victims…"

Based on these descriptions, I could only see an image of a demon, rather than a skeleton in black robes.

"In addition to that, he is also one of the founders of SORA, the Seven Angels of Sora.

I unconsciously trembled lightly once I heard that title. The Seven Angels of Sora is the nickname given to the founding members of SORA. It's members are all hidden in secret and only rumors can tell of how terrifying they can be.

If the Shinigami really belongs to that group, then challenging him is the same as committing suicide.

"But we know little to nothing about them," Aoshi continued. "Only guild members have access to more information."

After saying that, he broke into a grin.

"Everything was already written on the information brochure so I guess almost everyone didn't read them. Anyway, I can only think of fighting the Shinigami to prove my strength!"

"Onii-chan!" Alice cried out. "You know that fighting him is suicide!"

"Did you forget about what the guild master mentioned? Any serious injuries will result in me being teleported out. So battling with the Shinigami won't really kill me." Aoshi said as he smiled back to Alice who, in turn, hid her embarrassed face behind her teddy bear.

Wanting to end the topic, I quickly changed the subject.

"Anyways, the competition should be starting about... "

"Now."

Before I could finish, everyone was teleported to a barren land. This place was filled with nothing but rocks and sand. However, in the middle of this barren land, stood a pillar so tall that it can be seen even if you are 5km away. Maybe that's where the Shinigami is

Apparently, it seems that Aoshi and I were in the same location. I cursed my luck to be stuck with this arrogant guy.

"Quin! We better find Rose and Alice first! Let's hope they're ok, "Aoshi told me, interrupting my train of thoughts.

"Yeah... Let's go!"

For the first time in our lives, we agreed with one another and quickly dashed towards the opposite direction, knocking out those who were in our way.

Chapter 1

Part 3

While Aoshi and I desperately covered the distance across the battlefield, we realized the way to the other side stretched longer than it looked.

"We wasted ten.. no.. fifteen minutes. Come on! We need to speed up!"

Agreeing with Aoshi, I nodded my head and we increased our pace.

Fighting through hordes of participants, we finally managed to spot our friends.

"Rose! Alice!" I quickly shouted as I caught sight of them.

Upon hearing my voice, the both of them turned their attention to my direction. However, Rose and Alice failed to notice that a guy in a brown cloak was sneaking up on them.

"Hey! Both of you! Behind you!"

Despite numerous attempts trying to warning them, they were too focused on reaching us.

Clenching my teeth, I forced my legs to run faster.

_Faster! Faster!_

Despite running with all my might, they were still too far. I wouldn't make it.

[If speed is what you wish for, my master, then I shall grant it.]

Following a familiar voice that was in my head, I suddenly felt my body moving faster. It was as if my body had turned light as a feather and before I knew it, I had already closed the gap between the two girls and me.

The expressions that Aoshi, Alice and Rose had were that of amazement, probably due to my sudden speed boost. But I couldn't care more about it now. Drawing out my long sword, I immediately swung my sword horizontally, aiming for the backstabber's abdomen.

However, he was not to be taken lightly as he quickly took out a dagger and parried my blow.

I was taken aback by his quick reaction but this was no time to be impressed. I swung my sword again, aiming for his ribcage. My opponent entered a defensive pose as soon as he saw through my intentions.

However, he failed to realize that I was actually going for a feint. Before our blades made contact, I released the grip on my sword, grabbed it with my other hand and immediately swung the sword at his leg with it's blunt edge.

The blow was too quick for him to react and he fell to his knees.

"See ya."

Using my right hand, I struck the back of his neck which immediately rendered him unconscious. As he collapsed down on the sandy floor, he was teleported back to the real world.

Turning around, I saw Rose, Aoshi and Alice engaged in battle.

*shhp* *shik shik*

Rose was diligently stabbing the vital points of anyone who was near her with her spear as if she was elegantly dancing.

Aoshi covered for her back and struck down every single enemy with his dual-wield kodachi.

While all of this was happening, Alice was trapped in a circle made by four participants exchanging sick looks.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaa!"

All of a sudden, the teddy bear that was held by Alice started growing in size.

Eventually, it overshadowed the four perverts and Alice hid behind it.

"Rawwwrrrrr!"

"U-Uwah!"

Letting out a tremendous roar, the monster bear swung his right paw down, sweeping away those who he see as a threat to his master.

Caught off guard, the four perverts had no time to defend or dodge the attack. They could only be helplessly swept away while teleporting back.

In a few minutes, every single participant that attacked them was completely wiped out.

"I didn't know you could run that fast, Quin."

After sheathing his weapon, Aoshi cast a suspicious glance at me.

"Ah. About that…"

"Well, that doesn't matter now," Rose said, cutting me off and surveyed the area. "It looks like there aren't as many participants left as when we first came here."

It was true. As I looked around, I could only see small fights breaking out in the battlefield.

"Looks like the competition's about to end," I said with a smile, relieved that we managed to survive thus far.

"No!" Aoshi suddenly shouted. "I came here for a fight with the Shinigami and I will not leave until I get one!"

This is one of the reasons why I couldn't stand Aoshi as a partner. He would always throw child-like tantrums when he didn't get what he wanted. I wanted to say that it was clearly impossible to stand up to the Shinigami but it was clear that he would not change his mind.

"Ok, you'll get your fight with the Shinigami, "Rose decided. " But under the condition that you allow us to help out."

I stared at her with disbelief. She was so nervous before when that title was mentioned but now she was proposing that all of us should go together.

"But isn't it too reckless...?" I argued.

"If you do not wish to come with us, then don't. We aren't forcing you," Rose said with a firm voice. "I thought you were better than this, Quin. Come on guys! Let's leave this coward alone!"

After saying that, the three of them departed.

I looked on as they approached the tall pillar. Sighing, my only option left was to try catching up to them.

"The pillar is higher than it seems..." Alice muttered, staring in amazement at the height of the pillar.

"That doesn't matter, " Aoshi said. " Come on! Let's go and fight that Shinigami!"

Aoshi could not contain his excitement and started trekking the pillar. Rose sighed as she and Alice followed him.

Halfway up the pillar, Aoshi became annoyed.

"Just how long more do we have to walk..?" Aoshi complained.

"I guess we would need to walk for a few more steps..."

All of a sudden, a strong magical energy was emitted from the top of the pillar and it felt like gravity was acting against them.

"Heh... So this is the power of the Shinigami..." Aoshi struggled to speak. "But I won't be defeated by the likes of this..!"

Aoshi motioned for Rose and Alice to quicken their pace as they were reaching the top. Both of them nodded as they proceeded to the top.

There was no time to waste. I had a bad feeling about this. I knew that with their current abilities, defeat was inevitable and they would not be able to make it out with mere scratches. There was explanation on why I felt that way.

Little did I know that before I could reach them, the three of them had already retired from this world.

**End Of Part 3**

End of Chapter 1


	3. Chapter 2 -Encounter with the Shinigami-

Chapter 2

**Part 1**

"Master Cain! This is just too tiring!"

Wearing a blue bandanna emblazoned with SORA's emblem, Noeru complains endlessly about his post.

When it was announced that every guild members were supposed to help out in this competition, Noeru immediately applied for the easiest job available-teleporting the wounded back to the guild gallery.

However, due to the overwhelming amount of participants this year, he regretted ever choosing the post.

"Master Cain! Allow me to switch posts!"

"Denied. Unless you wish to exchange your post for mine. Oh wait, you don't even know how to use field magic now do you?" Cain replied with a cold smile.

Defeated, Noeru could only whine obstinately.

"You didn't have to be so mean Master Cain…"

Cain sighed as he returned to his post. Being the guild master, his job was to maintain the battlefield for all those participating in this competition. This was a difficult task as it requires an expert magician with the Earth attribute or one that specializes in field magic.

_Can't be helped, _Cain thought._ Since this magic is quite useless in battle unless used correctly. Hm?_

Just as he checked the crystal ball that was showing the battlefield, he saw three participants atop the pillar while another participant approached it.

Intrigued, Cain decided to get a closer view.

Cain was normally uninterested in the battles concerning Mia because it was clear who the winner would be but he had a feeling something unexpected would happen this time.

_Now then, show me something worthwhile._

_Those idiots!_

As I trekked the pillar with haste, I grumbled in my mind.

_Seriously, is it too much to just listen to me for once?!_

Shinigami… Just by hearing that title, an unimaginable feeling started forming in my heart.

_Just what is this feeling?_

Nearing the top, I could only pray that nothing had happened to my friends.

However, my prayers went unanswered. Standing alone, in the place of my friends, was a short figure in a pitch black robe.

His hood overshadowed his head, making it impossible to discern any expression on his face and the only feature that could be seen was the long silver hair flowing out of the robe. There was an intense aura surrounding him while he continued to stare at the ground.

Even though my image of him was completely different, this guy was, without a doubt, the _Shinigami._

I immediately took out Cerberus' Fang and shifted it in front of me. At the same time, the Shinigami noticed my presence and looked up.

"…"

Silence ensued as I tried to prepare for any attacks that he would try to use.

"…Quin?"

"?!"

All of a sudden, the Shinigami made an angelic voice, calling my name in a surprised tone.

I was shocked to find out that the Shinigami was actually a girl. But what was even more shocking was the fact that she sounded exactly like the one from my dream.

Stunned, I stood rooted to the spot and stared dumbfoundedly at her for a few seconds.

In that instant, the Shinigami appeared right before me before I could even react. My mind was screaming at me to get away but my body refused to move.

"…"

Staying silent, two slender arms came out of the pitch black robe and slowly made her way to my head, caressing me gently.

Holding my head gently in her hands, she brought my face closer to her, to the point where I could even smell the sweet fragrance in her long silver hair and see what was inside the hood.

However, her face was protected by a pitch black mask that had a rather detestable feel to it.

"Quin…"

She started talking again. This time, the angelic voice held happiness.

"It has been far too long…"

"U-uwaaaah!"

Hearing her repeat those words from my dream, I panicked and violently shoved her aside.

Despite being pushed away by a man that was a head taller than her, she merely moved a few steps back.

I hurriedly regained my posture and readied Cerberus' Fang once more.

"Who are you?!" I shouted in a shaky voice. But the Shinigami did not say anything and stayed at her spot motionlessly.

"Tch."

I clicked my tongue, realizing that the feeling I had before had resurfaced.

Since she has no intention of answering, the only thing left to do now was to fight.

With that in mind, I got into a Special Stance.

Considering that any normal attacks would be useless against her, unleashing my trump card now was the best option I had.

Gripping Cerberus' Fang tightly with both hands, I focused my mind solely on it.

After that, I chanted the words to complete this Stance.

"Immortal Stance: Form One: Highlander."

An overwhelming force of energy invaded my body once I finished my chant and I got into a position, getting ready to battle.

-Immortal Stance- is a high grade Special Stance that provides inhuman strength and agility for a short duration. But in exchange, the user must withstand high amounts of mental pressure once the effects start to wear off.

Sensing danger, the Shinigami backed away by a few steps and was deep in thought for a moment. Finally, she decided to summon her weapon.

"Let it be known that the moon shall be the blade that will cleanse humanity of their sins and may it fall naught to their own temptation. I am the keeper of darkness, thus, I command you to appear before me, my contracted weapon, Kuro Tsuki."

A katana manifested in her hands and she pointed its jet black blade at me.

"…"

"…"

Without as much as a word, both of us charged forward.

**End of Part 1**

**Part 2**

*Clang* *Clang* *Clang*

Swinging our weapons, each blow was parried by the other. However, this was merely an exchange of attacks.

Because of the limited space around us, we cannot afford to move around carelessly.

The Shinigami was a being that far surpasses a normal human. It was already amazing how I was still standing against her attacks.

But this may just be pity on her side. She had high-leveled spells at her calling and if she used them, this victor would easily be decided.

"Don't underestimate me!"

I shouted in anger for not being taken seriously and increased the strength of my attacks.

The Shinigami responded by doing the same.

*Bam* *Bam* *Bam*

Eventually, our attacks got to a point where miniature shockwaves were created whenever our weapons met.

"!"

Switching into offense, the Shinigami brandished her katana and aimed for my left flank with superhuman speed.

Normally, no ordinary human would be able to spot the incoming attack but in my current state, this can be achieved easily.

This was a perfect opportunity to deal a fatal blow, I thought. If I were to block this, I can immediately return an attack!

Having this in mind, I sent Cerberus' Fang to intercept that attack.

"Dirumpo."

"Wha?!"

However, I failed to notice her true intentions. She had intentionally used this move to set up a trap. When our blades came into contact, she chanted a spell and a faint glow emitted from her weapon.

Instinctively, I withdrew my blade and launched a kick forward.

*Pak*

The Shinigami raised her own leg to block my attack while revealing her pure-white thigh which was hidden underneath the pitch-black robe as our legs formed a 'X' shape in the air.

"Tch!"

I quickly leaped back to gain some distance from her.

Her small physique was contradictory to the amount of strength she possessed, I thought as I glared at her.

"Ugh…"

-Immortal Stance- was beginning to wear off as my mind started to show signs of fatigue. I don't have any time to waste. If I don't end this in the next strike, -Immortal Stance- would wear off completely!

"Demonic Fang!"

Desperately, I shouted a sword skill and particles of red surrounded Cerberus' Fang. Charging forward, I drew an arc, using that inhuman strength and agility to the fullest.

"Lunae Benedictionem."

In exchange, the Shinigami used a spell to power up her weapon and a silver light surrounded her katana as our blades met.

*Kiiiii*

The forces of red and silver clashed and the wind around us turned violent while the atmosphere around us became heavy.

A single loss of concentration would definitely be fatal.

Regardless, the backlash of –Immortal Stance- was increasing, signaling that it was reaching its peak. My mind was already giving way to the pain.

_I won't lose… I'll defeat the Shinigami!_

But I refused to give up. Instead, I ignored the pain and forced myself to push everything to the limit.

"UWOOOOH!"

Unleashing a battle cry, I poured all my strength into the attack and the red light grew larger, ultimately devouring the silver light, pushing the Shinigami back.

_I can win!_

"Hero Stance: Form One: Dreams of a Child."

However, the Shinigami suddenly chanted words that completed a Special Stance.

I was immediately taken aback. No one in this world should be able to use magic and Special Stances at the same time!

This thought was quickly proven wrong when the silver light that disappeared reappeared once more and it held even more power than the previous one.

This time, it was my turn to be pushed back.

The red light began wavering as the Shinigami continued to press on, pushing Cerberus' Fang back and leaving no space for me to fight back.

"Kuh…"

*Kiiin*

"Quin!"

The effects of –Immortal Stance- wore off, plus the backlash of it had already affected my mind to a huge extent. At that moment, I had turned into a complete normal swordsman with a giant headache and the red light had vanished, indicating the end of my sword skill.

The Shinigami noticed this and tried to stop her attack but failed to do so.

With nothing left to oppose the empowered katana, Cerberus' Fang was knocked aside effortlessly and I was slashed from my shoulder to waist.

Blood spilled from my body without end and dyed the ground around me red.

The silver light followed thereafter and swallowed me entirely.

Unable to resist, I was helplessly flung out of the pillar.

My consciousness started to fade as I plunged down onto the barren land. But halfway through the fall, something unexpected happened.

Jumping down from the pillar, the Shinigami flew down like an arrow piercing through the wind.

Her hood was drawn due to the wind resistance, revealing her masked face while her long beautiful silver hair danced wildly in the air.

Even though my vision was getting blurry, I could still see droplets of water coming out of the mask.

The current image of her was completely different from before. The supposed calm and compose Shinigami was now panic-stricken.

"Quin…!"

Her voice rang out as she frantically tried to reach me.

Seeing her like this, it felt like someone was repeatedly stabbing my heart. The pain in my mind paled in comparison to the feeling I was going through.

_Don't cry._

Without realizing it, I had already formed words to comfort her.

My body acted on its own and I slowly stretched my right hand forward.

"Fluito!"

Catching hold of my hand and confirming her grip, she casted a spell without delay and a gust of wind swiftly caught us right before we reached the ground.

Gently, we slowly floated down onto the ground.

Even when we safely landed, the Shinigami refused to let go of my hand, holding onto it tightly with both her hands.

The mask covering her face came off because of the spell she casted but I could no longer keep a clear vision of anything I see.

Nevertheless, I could tell that tears were overflowing from her face. Her mouth moved multiple times but I could no longer listen. With that, I lost consciousness.

**End of Part 2**

**Part 3**

"Quin… Quin… Quin!"

_Huh? What?_

While dozing off under a tree located just above the village, I was woken up by a girl with an overly familiar presence. Since I wasn't popular with the girls in the village, there could only be one possible candidate who would try to wake me up. My silver-hair childhood friend.

She wore a plain white dress that gave her an innocent look and her appearance was further highlighted by that long and beautiful argent hair.

"Why are you always sleeping?"

She posed a question and pouted while crossing her hands that held a picnic basket at the same time.

_Do I need a reason to be tired?_

"Not really… Never mind about that now. Look! Xenon nii-chan just came back from his journey and brought this doll back as a souvenir. Don't you find it cute?"

She knew she couldn't win an argument against me so she chose instead to change the topic... Regardless, she was really taking out a doll from the picnic basket.

_Hm? Sure._

But when she held out a strange looking doll, I just gave it a quick glance and nodded in agreement before getting back to sleep.

"…"

*WHAM*

_!_

Dropping onto the floor, I wriggled in pain as I held onto my head. She had slammed my head with her picnic basket.

_What'd you do that for?!_

"Mmmmmmmh, you weren't even looking!"

_I was! I was! …!_

Once again, she used the picnic basket and aimed for my head. I barely managed to dodge it before getting up and trying to defend myself by crossing my arms above my head.

_OK! OK! I'll take a look at it now. Happy?!_

Taking a serious look at the doll, I noticed some rather disturbing features. Its face resembled what looked like a human and it looked too alive to be just a doll.

_Now is there anything else?_

Trying to avoid looking at that creepy doll, I faced her and asked.

"You didn't answer my question!"

_Alright! Alright! It's cute! Anything else?!_

My childhood friend stared at me accusingly and pouted. After awhile, she sighed and went back to her usual self.

"Adell nii-chan was looking for you."

_Well, let's not make him wait then. And don't worry. After my meeting with Adell, I'll look at all the dolls you want, ok?"_

Reaching my hand out, I patted her silky long silver hair. She started blushing and her face instantly flushed red as a ruby.

"P-promise?"

_Haha, I promise._

As soon as I finished speaking, the sky began to darken extremely quickly.

_Uh oh. Come on, let's find some shelter first._

"…"

Rushing towards a nearby sheltered area, I noticed that she was just frozen there and staring at the ground with a blank expression.

Puzzled, I went to her side and tried to get her to follow me.

_What are you doing?! Quick, follow me!_

"No."

Standing her ground, she continued to look down. Soon, she looked up and faced me but I could only see fear in her deep blue eyes.

"Quin… Please… Can you remember my name? I'll follow you if you can say it once…"

Surprised at her sudden request, I laughed a little and spoke softly.

_Haha, come on _, we have no time for games._

…_?_

I couldn't say her name. I tried again and again but was met with no success.

__!_

__!_

"That's no good, Quin," my childhood friend suddenly said as she shook her head. "If you can't even remember my name, much less restore your past, how can you prevent the same thing from happening?"

Without realizing it, she suddenly disappeared in a blink of an eye. In place of her was the creepy doll lying on the grassy patch where she once stood. I turned my head left and right but saw no traces of her.

_Geez, is she playing a prank on me?_

I walked towards the doll and picked it up, taking an even closer look at it. Perhaps it may provide a clue as to where she is…

_!_

I was instantly shaken by what I saw. The doll's image had changed completely. It looked completely dead now.

When I stared at it, I could only see empty eyes staring back at me. A feeling of disgust overcame me and I quickly averted my eyes from the doll. However, the next thing I saw made me convulse in fear.

The peaceful village I once lived in suddenly turned into a scene of carnage. The whole village was burning with bloodshed and corpses everywhere. Darkness covered the area entirely, with the exception of the light caused by the flames.

Rushing into the village, the only thought I had was to find my precious childhood friend.

__!_

__!_

No matter how many times I tried to call out her name, no voice came out. Panicking, I ignored the sick feeling in my stomach as I frantically tried to search for her.

After searching a long time for her, I finally spotted her at the village entrance.

__!_

I tried calling out her name once again but to no success.

Even so, she slowly turned around as if she noticed my presence. Her face was covered with so much blood that it sent shivers down my spine. Her pure white dress was also stained with the colour of blood.

However, amongst the blood, were tears that streamed down her doll-like cheeks. She was shaking uncontrollably and collapsed onto the ground.

I immediately rushed to her side and held her in my arms to try and comfort her.

"Please… No more…" She cried softly in her sweet angelic voice while she continued to shiver non-stop in my arms.

I brought her closer to me, hugging her tightly as I tried to calm her down.

_Don't worry. We'll be fine. I'll protect you._

She turned her head to face me and I could see that her tears showed no signs of stopping. Instead of calming down, her face was filled with fear.

"Quin… Quin…" She called out to me in a shaky tone.

_It's ok. I'm here for you. Don't feel scared._

"Quin… Please… Save… me…"

**End of Part 3**

**Part 4**

As I slowly regained consciousness, I found myself lying on the bed in my own room.

_What happened…?_

Trying to get up, I noticed a familiar warmth on my right hand.

As I slowly tilted my head to the right, I see a girl with pink curly hair sleeping peacefully at the side of my bed while clasping my right hand in her's. I couldn't help but feel embarrassed due to how cute she looked.

Not wanting to wake her up, I tried to release my hand from her grasp by removing her hand bit by bit.

"Ngh… Quin…? You're awake?"

Rubbing her eyes, she took one long look at me as if confirming I was real. I revealed a wry smile in response but she unexpectedly burst into tears.

"Whoa! R-Rose, what's wrong?!"

Surprised by her sudden outburst, I tried to calm her down but she showed no signs of stopping. Instead, she started throwing light punches at my arm.

"*Sniff* Quin, you idiot! Did you know how worried I was?! You were unconscious for three whole days!"

"What?!"

"I really thought that you weren't going to wake up anymore!"

Facing the crying Rose, I noticed that her eye bags were heavier than usual. Did she stay by my side all this time without regards to her own health?

Feeling guilty about having her do this, I quickly apologized.

"Rose, I'm really sorry about letting you worry about me. I swear, on my life, that I'll make this up to you. May I seek your forgiveness?"

"… Hmph."

She crossed her arms and glared at me.

"Just don't do reckless things ever again. Facing off against the Shinigami alone was just plain stupid."

"Haha, I wonder who made me do that?"

Laughing, I slowly got up but felt a sharp pain on my shoulder, forcing me to grab my shoulder cringing.

Rose noticed this and quickly forced me down onto the bed.

"The wound you received from this Shinigami was life-threatening so it hasn't fully healed yet. You should lie down for now."

"Fine… But before that, have they announced the results of the competition?"

Ever since I woke up, that question was stuck in my head and I couldn't be at ease without knowing the answer.

"They haven't announced the results yet," Rose sighed as she answered. "Never mind that now. What's important now is that your health so just rest for now."

After checking that Quin was fully asleep, Rose quietly left the room. Closing the door behind her, she went downstairs to where Aoshi and Alice were.

Both of them had already reserved themselves a table and started ordering their food while Aoshi was chatting happily with Rose's parents, the owners of the inn they were currently at.

"Hey Rose! How's our champ?" Aoshi asked when he spotted Rose.

"He's fine… He hasn't fully recovered yet so I told him to rest for the time being."

After taking a seat at the table, Rose noticed Alice staring at her questioningly.

"Is there anything wrong, Alice?"

"E-eh? Ah… It's nothing… I was just wondering why you are always so concerned about him…"

"My, my. Alice, surely you know that Rose has..."

"No!" Rose interrupted Aoshi, flustered. "W-what are you talking about, Alice?! Isn't it normal to worry about a friend that has been injured that badly?!"

Over at the counter, Rose's mother, a woman in her early thirties, overheard the conversation and grinned approvingly at Rose.

"M-mum!"

Aoshi laughed out loud while Alice silently ate her food.

"Anyway!" Rose shouted, trying to change the subject. "To think that Quin could actually face off against the Shinigami. I mean, it was obvious that the Shinigami was going easy on him but still…"

"It was pretty devilish of the guild master to show off the battle between Quin and the Shinigami. After all, more and more people are trying to get face to face with the ever-famous 'Shinigami's equal'."

Aoshi stopped laughing and gave a serious look.

"He was always unpredictable but how did he get an opportunity to learn a Special Stance? You had been living with him for two years now. Surely you saw him using that before?"

"I don't know. Whenever I trained with him, he would only employ ordinary stances like the –Warrior- or –Striker-. I had never seen him use –Immortal Stance- before. I don't think there was anyone who taught him that either."

Rose explained dejectedly, still worried about the side effects from that Special Stance. Aoshi looked at her and let out a sigh.

"Then we can only conclude one thing. This stance was probably something that he had used before in his past. In other words, Quin is starting to regain his memories."

**End of Part 4**

**Part 5**

Zyste was a famous trading city located right in the middle of the entire continent of Plures. It was also a city that hosts a large amount of magical energy, making it a hotspot for researchers. The city was also popular due to the fact that it was the only city that does not follow the monarchy system.

As a result, merchants and researchers go to and fro, as and when they wish without fear of taxation. This caused the streets of Zyste to be filled with people regardless of time. In fact, calling it a 'Restless City' would fit the bill perfectly.

Walking down the streets in the market area, Mia couldn't help but feel appreciative towards the nature of the city since it gave her freedom of movement.

Dressed in a white robe with a hood over-shadowing her head, the silver haired girl looked like the researchers that came into the city. This allowed her to buy the necessities that she needed smoothly before proceeding back to her home, the guild called SORA.

The guild is considered a second home to its members since the bonds shared by every single member is precious. It wasn't a must to live within the guild dormitories, especially if your home is located directly within the same town as the guild, but since most members of SORA were foreign people, the dormitories were filled to the brim.

Once Mia stepped into the guild, she was greeted by the other members with utmost respect. All of their postures were stiff and they bowed deeply, similar to maids and butlers greeting their master.

Anybody that witnessed this scene would have thought it was fear that led them to such a sorry state. However, it was actually something much more different.

Mia's identity was already known to all in the guild but none had truly seen the face underneath the hood. It wasn't long before this uncertainty escalated into rumors, created by a certain playful guild master, that tell tales of her 'beauty' which was able to enthrall any man that would turn her way. Because of this, she earned another title, Tsuki No Hime, in honor of the silver hair that flowed out of the robe.

With both beauty and power, she was revered as a goddess, much to her displeasure.

Seeing as she was in a hurry, Mia ignored their greetings and headed straight to the area where the girls' dormitory was located.

"Mia! Wait for me!"

She was walking through a corridor when someone called out from behind her. Mia knew instantly who it was but if she chose to ignore him, things would get complicated quickly. Turning around, she faced the owner of the voice. He seemed like a man in his late twenties and, with short green hair and a civilian outfit; he looked like any other ordinary citizen. However, his true identity was something entirely different. He was the guild master of SORA, Cain Naomi.

"How cruel! To make me run all the way here just to catch up to you!"

"Stop acting like a fool, you old fogey. What do you want?"

Towards the man who was throwing a tantrum just like how a child would, she denied him of any other means to deter from his original goal and glared coldly at him from under her hood.

"How mean… You were so much cuter in the pa-geh?!"

Without as much as a sound, a pitch black blade was drawn and swung vertically at his head. This man however had already anticipated the attack and blocked the attack by sandwiching the blade between both his hands.

"E-erm, Mia, how about we calm down for a moment? Eeek?!"

"Shut up."

Tightening her grip, Mia forced her weapon down. The youthful looking man panicked and summoned all his strength to barely prevent the blade from reaching his head.

"Mia! I'm seriously going to die if you keep this up!"

"Then die already. Hm?"

Before she could finish him off, the ground below her was enveloped in a magic circle and hands, formed from the ground, grabbed her wrists, sealing off her movements. Those arms had a grip that was equivalent to a golem's. These arms were, without a doubt, made by the only magician in SORA who could manipulate the ground freely. Mia glared at the direction behind Cain and a girl appeared without any trace of noise, walking towards them.

"Onee-sama, if you don't stop now, he's really gonna die, you know?" That girl suddenly spoke up once she stood directly behind Cain and regarded Mia as she crossed her arms.

"S-Sorano! My beloved daughter has come to rescue me!"

"Father, if you don't stop this, I'll remove the spell."

Sorano merely looked at Cain with her eyes filled with scorn before looking back to Mia. Looking dejected, Cain released his grip from the blade and scampered away, hiding behind Sorano.

"Onee-sama, please forgive my senile father. I'll make sure that he's re-educated on how delicate a girl's feelings are."

"..."

Allowing her weapon to disintegrate into thin air and shaking off the grip from the rocky arm, she glared at Cain, which made him shrivel in fright, before turning her back against them and continued walking.

"Onee-sama, we'll be having a meeting at seven tonight. Report to the meeting room by then, alright?"

From behind, Sorano's voice rang out but Mia chose not to respond.

After walking for quite some distance, Mia stopped in her tracks and sighed. It was quite unbelievable how the guild master of SORA could act that way. Luckily, there were no other presences in the corridor at that time. If another person were to witness such a scene, it would put the guild's reputation at risk. Nevertheless, he was a powerful wizard with unimaginable power.

If only he were to act his age, Mia thought and sighed again while she continued her way to the dorms.

There were more pressing matters to get on with rather than wasting time thinking about the impossible.

The meeting would most likely be about the competition three days ago but prior to the events that had happened, it was easy to guess who had the highest chances of entering the guild.

Among them was a certain special individual whom she had wanted to meet after all this time.

"Quin…"

The name of the person she longed for the most escaped from her lips and before she knew it, she was already at the door of her own room. Slowly opening the door and unsealing the spell she had casted over her room, Mia stepped inside.

If anybody were to try and imagine the room of the Shinigami, their thoughts would undoubtedly lead them into thinking about hanging heads as trophies from previous battles or magical circles and items to place curses on any unlucky victims who dared to cross her path.

However, their expressions would surely be a work of art if they were to really get a glimpse of her room.

With walls donned in the colour of pink, a big closet to keep all her clothing, a pink frilly table placed in the middle of the room with two pink chairs tucked neatly under it, a pile of neatly stacked dolls in the corner of the room, a queen-sized bed covered with translucent pink coloured curtains and a make-up corner, her room was much more girly than what anybody would had thought.

In fact, it wouldn't be underhanded to say that her room seemed more like a princess'.

Even though the decorations of the room was of her own choice, Mia still felt that it was too embarrassing to show it to anyone, hence the reason why there was a magical barrier surrounding her room.

"Mia! Welcome back!"

Greeting her warmly, a yellow bird flew to her shoulder.

"Good afternoon, Aurora."

Mia returned the greeting and began placing the items she bought onto the table before sorting it out.

"Mia! You wouldn't believe this. Radiance kept on insisting that black roses exist. Isn't it obvious that no such thing exist in this world?"

Sighing, Mia silently listened to Aurora's complaints one after another.

"Speaking of which, where is he now? There is something I have to discuss about with the both of you."

After sorting out her items, Mia intended to gather the two magical birds for a talk.

"Looking for me?"

Perched on the window (which was also decorated in pink translucent sheets) that faced the city was a grey coloured magical bird with a triumph look on his face and a black coloured rose in his beak.

"See? Black roses do exist!"

"It's obvious that this rose is a product of some magic! It's a fake! There are no such roses in this planet!"

"Oh yeah?!"

Without wasting any time, both of them had already started arguing. Seeing this exchange, anybody would have felt annoyed.

"Be quiet! We have no time for such a childish argument!"

Feeling impatient, Mia interrupted with a stern voice.

Not wanting to make her angry, both of them immediately quietened down and nodded.

"I wish to discuss about the guild's competition. The both of you must had seen my battle, am I wrong?"

Hearing the topic that he wanted to hear the most, Radiance's eyes lit up.

"That guy you fought must be **him**, right?! It must be! There's no mistake about it! Can I meet him?!"

"Denied."

"But why? Maybe because he's still resting in that inn? I won't disturb him, I promise!"

Radiance pleaded woefully.

"I will not repeat myself."

"Why are you so against it?! Please, Mia. I beg of you!"

"It is still not time for you to go meet him, Radiance. Please, restrain yourself."

Mia was reluctant to let Radiance come into contact with Quin because of certain reasons. But Radiance refused to give up.

"Mia, all of us know how long it had been since then. Do you not want to meet him too?"

"I do, but I do not wish to force him to remember his lost memories."

"Huh? What do you mean by memories?"

Confused at what she had just said, Radiance stared at her with a puzzling look. Mia silently cursed herself for the slip of tongue but since there was no point in hiding it any further, she decided to tell Radiance about it.

"He was hostile towards me when we battled and he was truly weaker than what he used to be…"

"H-how could it be…? Did we not conclude that he was going easy on you?"

Radiance stared at her with disbelief. It was true that they had concluded with the fact that Quin was going easy on her. But being the one who fought against him, Mia knew that it was not true.

"Radiance, I know that it is indeed hard to believe but…"

"Even if what you say was true, then shouldn't we help him regain his memories?"

Interrupting her, Radiance was quick to change his look into one of disappointment.

"I know for a fact that you are not one to lie about such matters, Mia. But if what you say was the truth, then shouldn't helping him regain his memories be the first priority? We've been waiting for him for so long and yet you do not wish for his memories to return?!"

"…"

Mia bit her lip and kept silent to prevent any outburst of emotion on her part. Radiance mistook her intention and continued to accuse her.

"Why are you keeping quiet? Tell me, Mia! Why do you not wish to recover his memories?!"

"…"

"Mia? C'mon. Speak to me. Tell me why! Don't you love him?!"

"… You don't understand anything…"

"Eh?"

All of a sudden, Mia banged the table which made the two magical birds flew up in surprise.

"You don't understand anything at all! I love him and that fact will never change no matter how long we've been separated! I wish for his memories to return much more than anybody else! To be able to return to the times of old is something I desire more so than anything else! But what if doing so becomes too much of a burden for his mind to handle? What do you think will happen?! To not be able to be together with the person you love so much, do you not know how frustrating it is?!"

Tears flowed unknowingly from her eyes once she shouted those words. Realizing this, Mia quickly turned away from the both of them to prevent them from seeing her cry.

"I'm sorry, Mia. I didn't mean to…"

"It doesn't matter. If you wish to meet him, just go."

"Alright. I promise I'll do all that I can to assist protect him in your stead."

After making that promise, Radiance departed.

"Geez, this is why I can't stand males. They are always insensitive towards our feelings. Are you sure about letting him go?"

Aurora, who had been silently watching the entire time, finally spoke.

"..."

"Well, if you're fine with it, I won't say anything else."

Rubbing away her tears, Mia looked up into the blue sky and silently thought to herself.

_From this point forward, you will be faced with challenges that far exceed what your current self can do. But knowing you, there is nothing you can't do, right Quin?_

**End of Part 5**

**Part 6**

Right after making sure her master had calmed down, Aurora felt that gathering information was of top priority and dismissed herself.

Left alone in the room, Mia still had some time before the meeting started. She walked over to the vanity table and noticed that her eyes were still swollen from the tears she shed after taking a good look at a hand mirror she picked up from the table.

Despite being anti-social, she still cared about her own appearance.

*Knock* *Knock*

"Who is it?"

"It's me."

Combing her silver hair, she was annoyed by the sudden disturbance and asked infuriatingly.

However, the person on the other side of the door did not seem intimidated and answered without fear. Once the voice reached her ears, Mia instantly knew who it was.

"May I come in?"

"..."

With a simple flick of her hand, Mia unsealed the magic around her room and the door opened, revealing a tall figure.

Dressed in formal attire that resembled a minister you can find at any kingdom, this person was none other than Adell Izanagi – Mia's brother as well as the secretary of SORA.

Sporting the same silver hair and blue eyes, he is the first son to be born into the Izanagi family. His martial progress was second to none and he was someone whom Mia could truly respected.

"Mia, I could hear you bang the table just now. Is everything alright?" He asked, walking towards her.

As expected of the person renowned as the Vermiculus Canis, his hearing would even be able to put dogs to shame.

"There is nothing worthy of concern, Adell nii-san. I apologize if I had caused some disturbances within the guild."

"Are you sure? You need not apologize about it. If you ever feel troubled, you are welcome to share your problems with me."

Despite having a strict personality and a tough appearance, he is a caring brother who always put his siblings before him. He had always pampered Mia and they shared a close sibling relationship.

But ever since the Shattered War, Mia lost faith in everything and sought to end her own life. Yes… The accursed war which only brought chaos and destruction in its wake. Many had died because of that war and even someone who was close to her had lost his life in order to end it. He was only person who had saved her from the darkness that haunted her life. With that person gone, what other point is there to continue living?

And it was because of this train of thought that Adell had always blamed himself because he wasn't able to help her whenever she needed him most. It was only after much effort, and help from someone, that he was able to regain his sister's will to live.

Mia, too, regretted letting her brother suffer for her sake. She had always wanted to apologize but due to her personality as of now, her apologies were never successful.

"As I had said before, there is nothing worthy of concern. Rather, you should worry more about yourself. It would be bad for one of the leaders of SORA to not be in top condition."

"If you say so…" Adell murmured while sulking.

At this point, she did not want her brother to worry about her anymore than necessary although the words came out differently than what she had on mind.

"Hm, look at the time. Shall we go to the meeting room together?"

Adell regained his composure and took out a small pocket watch, checking the time as he walked towards the door before turning to face Mia, stretching out his hand in a gesture for her to follow.

She nodded, standing up and silently walked towards him.

"Ah yes. Mia, remember to put on the mask Master Cain gave you."

Mia groaned at the mere mention of that abominable black mask. There were two reasons given by Cain for this gift. The first being something to hide her identity and the second was to promote her title, the Shinigami. Nevertheless, it was obvious he bought it mostly for the latter. Even the first reason seemed similar to it.

Needless to say, Mia objected the idea completely. However, after much argument, reasoning, negotiations and threats, she gave up and reluctantly accepted it. Even then, she would not wear it unless specifically told to do so.

_But this mask did help prevent my face from being shown to Quin. I guess it was useful after all, _Mia thought while a black coloured mask manifested into her hand. As much as how she would like to protest against wearing the mask in her 'home', Cain would probably throw a tantrum again if she did not do so.

Just as she wore a mask, she realized that she had left forgotten to check about something important in her room.

"Adell nii-san, there is something I wish to check up upon in my room. Go on ahead without me."

"Alright. Don't be late."

Mia hurriedly left Adell's side and went back to her room. Once there, she went to the closet and pulled out a small box that was hidden deep within it. It was kept in quite a tight space and only with a close inspection will you be able to spot it.

In it were two pendants and a ring. The pendants were in the shape of a crescent moon and another in the shape of a sun entwined together while the ring had a sapphire blue crystal embedded into it. For Mia, these three treasures were as precious as life itself, even if they were not rare enchanted items or the like. Nothing could ever replace them and she wouldn't dare take them out of their case, for fear of tarnishing them. But once in awhile, she would make exceptions to recall the fond memories of her past.

Taking the pendants and ring out, Mia clenched them tightly to her chest as she recalled a distant memory right before the Shattered War had happened. It was a time of peace and tranquility. And it was also of a time where she was no different from any other ordinary girls, with the exception of being in love.

Indeed, those memories were one that she held on dearly to all these years, never letting go no matter how long the passage of time seemed to continue for these memories were the only ones that would serve to prove his existence, the proof of that he had led his life.

"…"

After awhile, Mia forced herself back to reality and hastily returned the items to the box, placing it back to its original position before leaving the room.

**End of Part 6**

**End of Chapter 2**


End file.
